Foldable boats are handy for sports enthusiasts who do not have the space to store full size boats, or the capability to transport a full size boat to and from waterways. Foldable boats that include relatively rigid hull sections typically fold along hinge axes that transversely bisect the boats, forming two approximately equal length halves. When folded open, the two halves are aligned end-to-end.
One form of transversely folded boat construction includes paired opposed bulkheads that are hinged along a transverse axis, usually at a midships location even with the boat gunwale.
A problem has existed in locking the hull sections in the open operative positions. The hull sections must be positively locked in the open condition or wave action will cause the halves to swing together and apart, resulting in dangerous instability.
Bolt and nut arrangements have been used to secure foldable boats in open conditions. The bolts are threaded through holes formed in the bulkheads. This arrangement is unsatisfactory since the holes for receiving the bolts will often leak unless appropriate seals are used. If the holes are located near the boat hull, as they should be to adequately hold the sections against swinging back to the closed position, very special care needs to be taken to avoid leaking.
The present folding boat and clamping arrangement eliminates the above problem by providing positive, secure locking of the folding boat halves without attendant concern for leaking. This is accomplished using the present locking arrangement which does not require holes to be formed through the bulkheads, but which instead securely clamps the bulkheads together from inside the folded open hull halves.